Motion-picture apparatus



A May '10. 19.27 w. J. KNQRRE MOTION' PICTURE APPARATUS Filed June 1g; 1926v z sheets-'sheet 1 @Wemag 1 1,628,250 May lo 927: w. J. KNQRRE nono PICTURE APffARATUs Filed Jun'e 12. 192e 2 sheets-Sheet 2 @Ramal Patented May 10, 1927.

TED STATES- 1,628,250 PATENT, orri ce.

' WILLIAM J. XNORRE, or fs1 foKANE,'WAsHr1vGroN, AssIGNoR .or .ONE-HALF yTo GROVER CAEALY, or 'sPoKANn WASHINGTON.

YMor1ora-'lereruan Mira-Barns.

Application 'niedJune 12, im. sel-iai No. 115,630.

My present invention `relates to improvements Vin motion Vpicture apparatus and is designati .as an automatic :annunciator for indicating to the o peiatorotl `the yapparatus or machine the approaching end of the un-` winding picture strip on its revolving reel. As is well known two projecting machines are usually employed for showing `a long picture, .and the operator for operators ,are required .to shift Vtheir operations Afrom one projecting machine to the'otheras `one reel is exhausted and `the second reel `brought into operation to insure ,a continuous picture on the screen. lIn order to ascertain fthe proximity I of the :approaching `end "of a reel or picture strip, fit is the usual practice lfor the `operator to frequently iopenthe cabinet door and inspect Ithe unwound strip. This inspection requiresfthe time and attentionof the operator with Iresulting neglect Yto the picture, inconvenience to the operator and uncertainty as to i exist-ing conditions ywithin the machine cabinet.

The-primary object of my invention `is the provision of means for automatically announcing :at a ,predetermined time the :apfproachfof the iend (of yan unvvinding picture strip in order (that lthe `second projecting machine or apparatus :may be made ready vand broughtfinto use at the proper time for 'insuring the .continuousshowing of the pic- -ture -on the screen.

VThe invention contemplates an announc-` .ingr device in the form Vof anattachment whichis applicable foi-use with :existing projecting machines 4wit-hout substantial Yal- .Yteration thereof. i

The attachment .is constructed and `arranged so 4that it may be set bythe closing of the cabinet door, and lco-acts -With ythe picture strip on the uinwinding reel in such manner `that the annunciator, asabell, is

sounded vas a signal rwhen the thickness of the picturestrip on theureel reaches 4a predetermined minimum, thus zindicating the approachingendof the picture strip.

:The invention `consists in certain Anovel combinations and `arrangements ofparts .as

will hereinafter be more fully set yforthand `fclaimed. p i y In the .accompanying drawiligsl have illustrated one `complete exampleof thephysical 4embodiment of my invention wherein the parts :are .combined and arranged according .to the .best yInode fI have thus far closed, andthe annunciator is vice showing'twoslide bolts for ,alternate .use in setting thede-vice in a round cabinet and -in a square cabinet. u :Figure 4 yis afface view of the device adapted 'for use with favsquare machine c a'binetl` Figure 5 iis .a -detail view of the bell t-rip.

AIn order that the general arrangement and relation lof parts .may readily be understood `Ihave shown iii-Figures l and 2 a lportiol Aof an yunvvindingzreel 1 with the 3 unwe'und picture 4strip 2 l,thereon located .Within --the .machine-.cabinet "3. This mathe ,round or circular type chinev cabinet -is of andisprovided with a-door @having a hinge 5 and Voff-set,'hingeajoint6. VIn Vusing the attachment .with lthis type of cabinet the l1-inge 5 Vis used `for `setting the device, while ,the ihinged door `4f of Figure 4 yis yused to set the device when `the latter-is used with a .square or rectangular machine cabinet.

'In either case the annunciator Iis -set for operative eposition 'with' .relation [to the pic- `[ture strip Q on lthe reel, YWhenythe door is automatically of the picture .actuated ,when the thickness the reel, thus strip `reaches ja `minimum von A.indicatingfthe approach .of the end of the ,unwinding picturestrip. p

In carrying out -m-y invention l utilize f anffattaching plate or base yplate 7 whlchis means of screws i 8 passed through the wall of the-cabinetifrom theilitericr and through screw `holes) 1in the plate.

`The attaching `plate is fashioned with an angular. flange lfextending in a"1 ine parallim.

aliiixedrat theexterior sideof the cabinet by cabinet in the lug 11 and passes through the hole 12 and a complementary hole fashioned in the wall of the cabinet. Hthin the cabinet the rock shaft is provided with an arm 14 which is located between the wall of the cabinet and the periphery of the picture strip 2 on the reel., and conforms generally to the contour of the strip.

One end of the arin is inserted in or passed through a transverse hole in the shaft and a set screw 15 is threaded longitudinally into the end of the shaft to engage the arm and hold it in adjusted position relative to the shaft. At its upper free end the arni has a forked bearing 16 for a friction roller 17, preferably of rubber that lightly contacts with the periphery of the picture strip and permits the strip to unwind without interrupt-ion therefrom. As the thickness of the strip on the reel diminishes the roller remains at all times in contact with the strip and thus gradually turns its rock shaft 13 in a. clockwise direction through a suitable angle for the purpose of actuating the annunciator as will be described.

The rock shaft is provided with an adjustable screw 18 threaded transversely therethrough exterior of the cabinet and the angle plate 10 is slotted at 18 to give access to the screw for turning. The end of the screw is pointed as at 19 and this point coacts with a pivoted detent 2O on a lever 21 having a tapper 22 for the bell 23. The lever arm is pivoted exterior of themcabinet at 24 on an adjustable plate 25 which is forked or slotted for use with a fastening screw 26 which secures the plate in adjusted position on the attaching plate 7 of the dcvice. The bell is also adjustably supported from the plate 7 by means of the bell-plate 27 which is slotted or forked for the fastening screw 2S. The pivoted lever with its tapper and the bell are thus relatively adjustable to secure the ringing action of the bell. A sprin 29 is used to afford a resilient support tor the bell tapper.

rlhe rock shaft and arm 14 are provided with a counterbalance weight 30 carried on the stein 31 which has a threaded end 32 and is passed through a threaded opening in the .rock shaft. The weight may be adj usted with relation to the arm and 'its roller so that the arm and roller will. overbalance the weight, thus permitting the arm and roller, when free, to swing the rock shaft and maintain the roller in contact with the periphery of the picture strip on its reel.

ln setting the device the rock shaft is released in order that the arm and roller may swing by gravity to bring the roller in contact with the picture strip and this swinging of the roller and arm turns the shaft to bring the point 19 of the screw into contact with the free end of the pivoted detent on the bell lever 21. As the thickness of the picture strip diminishes the roller and arm causes a gradual turning movement of the rock shaft and the screw point 19 causes an upward swing of the bell tapper 22. When the roller has swung to the proper angle determined by the minimum thickness of the picture strip the screw point 19 swings past and below the detent 20, thus freeing the bell tapper and the latter falls upon the bell 23 to give a warning signal to the operator. ln re-setting the device, the pivoted detent permits the screw point to swing past it as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 5.

lThe angle plate 10 is slotted as at 33 for the accommodation of the arm or stem 31 of the ccunterweight 30.

The annunciator device is automaticallyv set through the instrumentality of the hinge plate as the door 4 is closed or swung to closed position on its hinge joint 6. rllhe hinge plate co-acts with a slide bolt 234 located exterior of the cabinet and positioned parallel with the rock shaft. The bolt is slidable in perforated bearing lugs 35 and 36 of the angle plate 10, and at its end adjoining the door of the cabinet is provided with an adjustable screw 57 threaded longitudinally in the bolt, a lock nut 38 being en1- ployed to secure the screw in adjusted position. The hinge plate 5 is adapted to contact with the screw head and slide the bolt, as the door is closed, against the tension of a spring 39 located between a fixed collar 40 on the bolt and one of the bearing lugs as 36.

At its opposite end the slide bolt carries a lever 41 which is pivoted at 42 on the angle plate 10 and fashioned with a forked or slotted end 48 for pivotal connection with the pin 44 extending transversely through the slide bolt- The lever arm is fashioned with a curved or cam face 41"L on its under edge, which, when the bolt is sprungto opeu position, rests upon the arm 31 of the counterweiglit, holding said arm down, and the arni 14 and roller 17 up. lWhen the slide bolt is pushed toward the observer as in Figure 2 and to the right as in Figure 4, its movementI swings the lever 41 on its pivot 42 withdrawing the lever from the arm 31 and thus permitting the roller 17 and ariu 14 to overbalance the weight Il()V and swing `the rock shaft to engage the screw point 19 with the bell lever or with the pivoted, detent on the lever. The bell lever thus set tor operation when the thickness of the picture strip diminishes to the predetern'iined mini` nium. After the annunciator has been actie ated and the door 4 is opened, the spring 39 slides the bolt 34 causing the cam lever 41 to ride down the arrn 31 of the counterweight, rock the shaft 13, and swing the roller 17 free of the reel.

llVhen the device is attached for use with motion picture apparatus using rectangular lll) or square cabinets and hinged doors of a type different than that used in the round cabinets, the door 4 of the cabinet is used to set the device, and a slide bolt 45 for alternate use is substituted for the slide bolt 34. This slide bolt 45 is supported in a perforated bearing lug 46 of the angle plate l() and passes through an opening in the attaching plate and the wall of the cabinet. The screw 47 at the end of the bolt is located Within the cabinet and the door 4 is adapted to contact therewith as indicated in Figure 4. The pin 44 used on the slide bolt 34 also passes through this second bolt, and the bolt, through the pin actuates the cam lever 4l in manner similar to the movement im-.

parted thereto by bolt 34.

The two slide bolts are for selective use, and of course only one bolt is used to actuate the cam lever, both for releasing t-he roller and its arm to set position and for retracting the roller when the door of the cabinet is opened. As long as the door is closed the cam lever is held free of the Weight arm 3l and the latter is free to swing with the rocking movement of the rock shaft 13.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as nen7 and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination With an annunciator and its actuating means, of a rock shaft havthe action of the slide ing a detent for co-action With said means,`

an arm on the rock shaft and a friction element on the arm for co-action with an unwinding picture strip, an opposed counterweight on the shaft, a setting bolt, and means operated by the setting bolt for coaction with the counterweight for setting the rock shaft in operative position.

2. An attachment for a motion picture apparatus comprising an annunciator and a gravity actuated device `coacting With an unwinding picture strip for actuating t-he annunciator, retaining means for holding said gravity actuated device in inoperative position While the door of the apparatus is open, and a slide bolt actuated by the closing door for releasing-the retaining means.

3. The combination in an attachment for motion picture apparatus with an annunciator and its actuating means, of a rock shaft having a detent for co-action with said means, an arm on the rock shaft and a friction element on the arm for co-action with an unwinding picture strip, a pin on the shaft and a counterweight on the pin, a setting bolt actuated by the closing of the door of the apparatus, and a lever on the bolt for co-action With said pin for setting the rock shaft in operative position. y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM J. KNORRE. Y 

